Extended Reflection Journal (500 Words)

In describing the collapse of the roof of Manufacturers and Liberal Arts Building, Larson writes "In a great blur of snow and silvery glass the building's roof—that marvel of late nineteenth-century hubris, enclosing the greatest volume of unobstructed space in history—collapsed to the floor below" [p. 196–97]. Was the entire Fair, in its extravagant size and cost, an exhibition of arrogance? Do such creative acts automatically engender a darker, destructive parallel?


A few things that our nation tends to be about is the latest styles, money, and fame, as self-centered as that sounds. We always want the bigger and the best or what the latest things on the market are. America has always been seen as an amazing place, or the country of opportunity. Even hundreds of years ago America was the country people wanted to live in. Another way to make this country more appealing is add an element of excitement: The World Fair. What comes with the beginnings of the world fair is a sense of arrogance and excess amounts of pride. Even with the fair in this book being in Chicago, it would fail unless it beat the fair previous to it, the Fair in France. The fair was designed as a way to bring revenue into the venue place and make that place even more and more appealing. No matter what the cost of the fair, or the stakes that are against them it had to be the biggest, the most extravagant, and the best.
In order for us to have the best there is uncommonly the arrogance part of everything. America wanted to be number one and we showed the world the arrogant, prideful, and selfish side of us. We had become so greedy we didn’t care about anything but being the best. The Fair had to shock visitors and bring them to their knees. They needed to see what America could do, what beauty they could create in such little time. We needed to be the “star” of the show. When arrogance is thrown into the creation of something there is always a darker side. You have all your emotions coming into effect: your greed, your needs, and everything else. With everything light there is a dark. With beauty there is always an ugly side and that is exactly how it was for the world fair.
The whole novel is encompassed by the juxtaposition of the light and dark and this is a great example. The book even explains how the fair will bring out the weirdos in the darkness and show people of Chicago what lies right under their noses. With the advancement of Holman and the fair, Holmes advances and so does his murdering sprees. Holmes becomes some what of an architect himself when he builds the building for himself and other businesses to occupy. He also throws in the greed factor. In the novel it explains how Holmes will buy anything he wants without paying and when collectors come, he somehow makes the, go away and he never has to pay a penny. Without showing this underlying effect of good and evil the novel would not be factual. Larson had to say and show everything exactly how it was and he accomplished that. And by explaining the destruction of the fair was because of arrogance you really show that when there is light there is always a dark. And Larson does a great job showing it and explaining it without having to “dumb” things down.

Burnham/Holmes Comparison (500 Words)

Larson begins this nonfiction novel with the intro “Evils Imminent”. He explains that there will be good and evil in this story, where good is Burnham and evil is Holmes. When Larson writes “Beneath the gore and smoke and loam…” He is explaining the setting of the story. These words are describing the stock yards, and the dirty streets, that were really only in Chicago during the 1800’s. Burnham and Holmes are similar in the fact that they are both extremely passionate in the things they do and they always want to get the job done. The part that’s different is the job they’re doing: architecture and murder. They both become well known for the things they’ve done and accomplished. They live their lives as they want to and not how others say they should. Larson begins describing Holmes as a gentleman and honest and trustworthy, shows that no one could have seen the evil inside him. His murders have to be perfect because he strives for perfection, they have to go exactly as he plans them.
Burnham’s idea of perfection are his buildings, his architecture. He strives for the bigger and better buildings. His buildings always have to be taller than the others as well. He wants the fame and the fortune and the only way for him to get it is by creating the ultimate work of art: skyscrapers. Burnham is constantly thinking of the fair and how he will make it ten times better then the fair that France had created. Although the men’s lives are different in the things they pursue and the careers they want to perfect.
The two men are similar in the fact that they are doing the ultimate: achieving the impossible and “manufacturing” sorrow. The two men are connected even though neither of them have met the other. They are similar in how passionate they are and how they want to perfect everything they come across. But they are inevitably brought together by a single event: The World Fair.
You notice in the book that Good and Evil, light and dark, White City and Black City are contrasted with the books main characters. Burnham is associated with the good, the light, and the white city. Holmes is associates with the evil, the dark, and the black city. In the story the White City is the beautiful, artistic, and glorious part of Chicago that most people walking around see, the place where Burnham thrives. Burnham has created much of the White City and that is where he sees his perfection. On the other hand, the Black City, is the place where Holmes thrives. This is the place that not many people see. It’s the darker side of Chicago, where Holmes can perfect his craft: murder. This is the place that people don’t want to see or talk about. It’s the “dirty” part of the city and a place where not many people dwell.
Larson uses this not to prepare readers for the juxtaposition of these two subjects, and the fact that their passion for perfection might be there downfall.